Table 3 Infants’ and mothers’ serum Zn, Cu, and Fe, and hair Zn and Cu levels

Serum Zn (μmol/L)^a

15.00 ± 3.10^c

14.80 ± 1.50^c

14.10 ± 3.10^c

14.7 ± 2.75^c

13.30 ± 1.50^d

13.60 ± 3.10^d

13.50 ± 3.10 ^d

13.30 ± 2.70 ^d

Serum Cu (μmol/L)^a

19.70 ± 4.70^e

18.70 ± 3.10^e

18,3 ± 3.30^e

19 ± 3.3^e

14.6 ± 3.10^f

17.20 ± 3.30^f

18.00 ± 3.10^f

16.50 ± 3.10^f

Serum Fe (μmol/L)^a

13.10 ± 5.6^g

13.71 ± 5.40^g

12.10 ± 5.60^g

13 ± 3.8^g

12.4 ± 3.80^h

8.70 ± 3.20^h

8.5. ± 3.70^h

9.85 ± 4.10^h

Hair Zn (μmol/g)^b (median; 95 % CI lower-upper level)

1.48 ± 0.67ⁱ (1.50;1.28–1.72)

1.84 ± 0.75ⁱ (1.65;1.60–2.10)

1.76 ± 0.80ⁱ (1.54;1.50–20)

1.70 ± 0.74ⁱ (1.50;1.56–1.84)

1.30 ± 0.73^j (1.27; 1.06–1.55)

1.02 ± 0.50^j (0.86; 0.87–1.18)

0.77 ± 0.30^j (0.79;0.67–0.86)

1.03 ± 0.60^j (0.88;0.92–1.14)

Hair Cu (μmol/g)^b (median; 95 % CI lower-upper level)

0.20 ± 0.11^k (0.17;0.16–0.24)

0.22 ± 0.11^k (0.19; 0.18–0.26)

0.17 ± 0.19^k (0.15;0.11–0.19)

0.20 ± 0.11^k (0.17;0.18–0.22)

0.32 ± 0.14^l (0.32;0.24–0.34)

0.34 ± 0.16^l (0.32;0.28–0.39)

0.25 ± 0.13^l (0.25;0.22–0.32)

0.30 ± 0.16^l (0.25;0.27–0.33)